Munster Rugby hit Ulster for six in convincing bonus point Rainbow Cup win

MUNSTER Rugby made it two wins from two in the inaugural Guinness Rainbow Cup when recording a thumping 38-10 bonus point victory over Ulster at Thomond Park on Friday night.

Munster outscored their visitors by six tries for one to record a convincing success following their opening round win over Leinster.

Johann van Graan's charges now host Connacht in their third interprovincial outing in the new competition next Friday night at Thomond Park at 6pm.

Munster included Lions Conor Murray and Tadhg Beirne in their starting line-up. Limerick scrum-half Murray will be making his third tour with the Lions in South Africa this summer while, for Beirne, it's his first call-up.

Ulster were captained by their sole Lions representative Iain Henderson.

Munster led 19-3 at half-time. After Michael Lowry put Ulster ahead with a third minute penalty goal, Munster hit back with an 11th minute try from Rory Scannell following Gavin Coombes' powerful surge off a scrum.

Hanrahan converted for 7-3, before Conor Murray struck for a second try for the home side from close range after some excellent play by centre Dan Goggin.

Ulster lost centre Will Addison to a red card on the stroke of half-time, meaning the visitors were down a player for 20 minutes under the new rules being trailed in the competition.

Munster took full advantage when replacement Damian de Allende put the in-form Mike Haley into space to score. Hanrahan converted for that 16-point interval lead.

The home side added three further tries in the second half from centre Scannell, his second of the game, JJ Hanrahan and finally Andrew Conway.

This was a third win for Munster in their last eight meetings with Ulster. 

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (CAPT), Chris Cloete, Gavin Coombes. Replacements all used: Kevin O’Byrne, Jeremy Loughman, Roman Salanoa, Jean Kleyn, CJ Stander, Nick McCarthy, Ben Healy, Damian de Allende.

ULSTER: Jacob Stockdale, Rob Lyttle, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Michael Lowry, Alby Mathewson; Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Jordi Murphy, Marcus Rea, David McCann. Replacements all used: Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Marty Moore, Sam Carter, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, James Hume.

REFEREE: Craig Evans (Wales)